With the inaugural edition of the World Under-23 Squash Championships began in Karachi on Sunday, Pakistan’s Noor Zaman and Mohammad Hamza Khan won their opening matches, while Muhammad Ammad suffered a first-round exit.
Second-seeded Noor Zaman overcame Kuwait’s Hussain Alzaatari in a 3-1 battle, with scores of 11-6, 5-11, 11-4, and 11-3. Meanwhile, Hamza Khan, seeded, dominated Romania’s Radu Stefan Pena in straight games with scores of 11-3, 11-1, 11-5 to advance to the round of 16.
However, Pakistan’s Muhammad Ammad faced a tough defeat against Malaysia’s Ameeshenraj Chandaran in a thrilling five-game match. The Malaysian triumphed 10-12, 11-7, 9-11, 11-9, 11-8.
In the women’s event, Pakistan’s Mariam Malik, Sana Bahadar, and Amna Fayyaz were all eliminated in the first round. Mariam lost to Spain’s Noa Romero Blazquez (11-3, 11-2, 11-4), Amna Fayyaz fell to Japan’s Kurumi Takahashi (11-9, 10-12, 11-4, 11-9), and Sana Bahada/r was defeated by Czech Republic’s Tamara Holzbauerová (13-11, 11-6, 8-11, 11-8).
Meanwhile, the top-seeded Egyptian Ibrahim Elkabbani survived a scare against Poland’s Leon Krysiak, winning 11-2, 9-11, 12-10, 11-2 to progress to the next round.
The tournament continues with the round of 16 matches scheduled for Monday.